Doing His Level Best

From Garçon Wines, an online wine club in the U.K., comes a new wine bottle that not only fits through a standard U.K. mailbox slot, it won’t shatter when it lands. Made from 100% recycled PET plastic, the 750ml bottle weighs 2 ounces (63 grams), ⁠is environmentally friendly, and FLAT! Garçon CEO Santiago Navarro created the bottle (or, as we call it, the flottle) in a bid to engage more young consumers. Flottles are more space efficient than round bottles because they can be stacked, fitting more wine in shipping containers and on retail shelves. A hit in the Netherlands and Sweden as well as the U.K., the flat bottles may soon arrive in the U.S. Since last April, Garçon has been in talks with West Coast wine producers to use the new packaging.

A barnyard, horse blanket, or sweat-soaked leather aroma in a wine may be a sign of:

A. Sulfites

B. TCA

C. Volatile Acidity

D. Brettanomyces

Brettanomyces (aka Brett) is a type of yeast that causes aromas and flavors politely known as “barnyard.” Brettanomyces can exist in cellars, barrels, and hoses, and from there, migrate into wine. Because it is a yeast, Brettanomyces can grow in the wine, causing a more severe barnyard character with time. Critics of brettanomyces say it robs a wine of its true flavors and has no place in winemaking. But supporters find that small amounts add a certain complexity to wine, and can give it an aged flavor.

Tartrates

Usually found clinging to the bottom of a cork, tartrates look like bits of crushed glass or small white snowflakes. But these tasteless, odorless bits of tartaric acid are harmless. Tartrates precipitate out when acidity… Continue reading

Doing His Level Best

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